The present embodiments relate generally to footwear, and in particular an article of footwear including heel support members.
Articles of footwear with support columns along the heel of the footwear have been previously proposed. Smith et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,309) teaches a track shoe with a heel plate and two support columns. In the Smith design, the article of footwear includes an upper and a sole secured to the upper. Specifically, Smith teaches the use of a heel plate extending from the midfoot portion of the outsole towards to the heel. The first and second support columns extend between the heel plate and the outsole in a vertical direction. The support columns of the Smith design are intended to attenuate shock and absorb energy in the event that a user tires and the heel portion of the footwear contacts the ground.
Other articles of footwear with heel support structures have also been proposed. Caine et al. (U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0307676) teaches an article of footwear with a shock absorbing heel system. The heel system includes a lower heel plate, a set of support members, and an upper heel plate. The lower heel plate is associated with a cantilever portion that supports the upper heel plate laterally. As force is applied to the heel system, the support members may compress slightly and the cantilever portion may lower, absorbing energy and or shocks applied by the ground. Each support member includes a top side and a bottom side; the top side being associated with a first centroid and the bottom side being associated with a second centroid; and where the first centroid and the second centroid are misaligned with respect to a vertical axis.